1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to drive arrangements for metering mechanisms used in grain drills and fertilizer applicators.
2. Prior Art
In the prior art, it is quite common to have a ground drive for the seed metering mechanisms used in grain drills or planters. The drive usually is taken from a shaft axle for a gang of press wheels (several press wheels mounted on a common shaft) and operates through suitable drives to drive the metering wheels in the grain drill box and a fertilizer applicator box. Sprocket and chain speed change devices are quite commonly used for changing the speed of rotation of the metering wheels with respect to the ground speed so that the rate of seeding can be controlled.
Examples of devices which use ground drives for the seed metering mechanisms are found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,869,491 which is an attachment for a planter, but does illustrate a drive from a ground wheel 23, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,739,549 also shows a ground drive from a support wheel 23. The drives come from opposite sides of the seeding devices, and use a well known chain and sprocket drive for the metering wheels or devices.